*Kageyama's POV*
After Mags left the room, it was just me and (y/n). We both turn our heads to face each other, still holding each other's hand. There was a silence that formed between us. I couldn't tell how (y/n) felt, but I liked it.
(Y/n) wandering her 'gaze' around the room, signalling a light discomfort in the silence. Seeing her behave like this, I decided to break the silence I enjoyed.
"Uhmm, so... When did you get your claustrophobia? Or however it works.."
She twitches at this comment, which I don't let go unnoticed.
"We don't need to talk about that if you don't want to!" I stammer out.
The girl's face drops, 'looking' at her legs that are crossed on the bed. She scribbles on the notepad.
'could we not?'
"Of course." A slight sadness settles in me once again. 'why is she still writing? Is talking making her uncomfortable? Does she want to be left alone?'
I decided to ask her. "Why are you still writing, if you don't mind me asking..." I say, as (y/n) just lets out a sigh, still looking down. "Do you want to be left alone? I can go if you want..."
The girl continues to stay silent, so I decide to get and head up to the door.
Right before I'm too far to continue holding her hand, she tightens her grip, stopping me in my tracks.
"No." (y/n) says, which makes my jaw drop as I turn on my heels to face the girl, who now had her head up in my direction. "I don't want to be alone..."
"O-oh. Okay..." I reply, sitting back into the chair beside the bed. "Do you want to talk or just stay quiet?"
"I want my music but I guess I can't have that..." she says, with a sad tone. "Can we just talk? Noise helps me open up the area..."
"Yea. Of course. Uhmmm, any topic specific?"
"Nah."
"I hope you don't mind, but yesterday when I called your aunt, I saw the wallpaper on your phone."
"Oh, yea... I've been meaning to change that..."
"Why? It's so cute. Are they your friends from home?"
"Used to be..."
"Oh..." I stop myself from prying, even though I am now curious. I don't want to do that to her in this stressful time.
"Well, I'm still friends with some..."
"Do you want to talk about it? I won't pry if you don't."
"Well, last year was hard." she pauses for a bit before continuing. "I decided to go to a different high school than where my friends were going... and I guess some of them took it personal."
"Oh... Oh right, cause in (home/c.), high would've started last year, right?"
"Mhmm. I didn't know anyone at my last high school, which was what I wanted... I wanted a new start."
"So your friends didn't even hang out with you outside of school?"
"Not really..." She takes a steady deep breath. "A few tried to make gatherings, but some didn't come and once the meet ups were over, I wouldn't hear from them for weeks."
"That must've been hard."
"Yea. I just felt so alone. I had no one at school, I had no one outside of it."
"Oh..."
"But I became self-reliant, not needing anyone..."
"So you were a loner."
That comment got a giggle out of the girl. It made me happy getting a positive reaction from her.
"Yea, kinda..." she looks down again. "That was actually my plan for this year too."
"Until I met you."
My eyes lit up and my jaw dropped slightly.
And that was when the doctor walked into the room with a clipboard in hand, with Mags trailing behind them.
"Okay, so we are going to remove (y/n)'s burn bandages now. As I said yesterday, (y/n) will have to keep the bandages on her eyes for another week." the doctor informs us all, approaching the said girl. "May I?"
(Y/n) just nods, as she squeezes my hand tightly.
The doctor slowly starts unwrapping her face, first revealing her chin, then her lower lip, and that's when I first started to see the burn mark. The doctor continues to slowly take off the bandages, exposing the girl's upper lip, then the tip of her nose and the rest of her cheeks.
The doctor stopped at the end of this strip of bandages, right beneath the start of the eye bandages.
Right now, the burn was just a line of scabs that lined the right side of her jaw and the bottom of her ear.
The doctor told us that the scabbing is just temporary and that the burn will scar and probably leave a permanent red mark. This news made (y/n) drop her face into her hands, trying to hide it. When Mags was busy talking to the doctor about treatment they will have to do when (y/n) gets discharged from the hospital in a few days, I go to comfort the girl.
"Hey. Don't be sad. Look at me-" I try to reassure her, but she just blankly turns her head to face me. I could feel her piercing gaze through the bandages. "Oh, uhmm, bad choice of words"
"Ya think?" she sarcastically says, quirking her head to the side.
"Sorry." I say, grazing my middle finger on the line of scabs on (y/n)'s jaw. "Does it hurt?"
She turns her head in front of her.
"No." she bluntly says.
As I continue tracing the burn and get to her chin, I see her cheeks turn slightly pink. I hold her chin with my thumb and the side of my index. Lift her face so I can clearly see it.
"It's going to be ok." I tell her.
A tear rolls down from under the bandages.
"Don't cry." I wipe her tear with my thumb, moving my hand to the side of her face instead of under her chin. "It'll all be fi-"
She wraps her arms around my torso, starting to sob into my shoulder. Shocked by the sudden action, I sat there for a few seconds before wrapping my own arms around her.
"Don't go"
*Time Skip - Sunday*
I stayed at the hospital overnight, by (y/n)'s side. The team left about an hour ago, heading back to Miyagi. Mags said that she could drive me back with them once (y/n) was discharged tomorrow.
They wanted to do a last check on (y/n)'s eyes before going back to Miyagi, where she will need to visit the hospital for a check up upon arrival, to make sure no gerjastic changes happened on the long trip.
The Saitama hospital already informed the nearest hospital to Mags place about the situation and were starting to transfer the fills.
The doctor told us earlier that day that (y/n) should go on some walks, to ensure her muscles don't get lazy with the lack of walking and standing.
I helped (y/n) up from the bed, guiding her out of the room and through the halls as she tightly gripped onto my upper arm. She was walking fine, but she must've been a bit hesitant not knowing what was in front of her.
*Y/n's POV*
Walking with Kageyama, you couldn't help but slightly feel overwhelmed. Your head kept wondering and spewing intrusive thoughts like 'what if there's a hole in front of you' or 'your next step could be off the building' which you knew were ridiculous, but they kept popping in every now and then.
Kageyama tried his best to keep you distracted, as you two roamed through the halls talking, but it didn't fully work.
You two walked into a darker area, which you just assume there's just a broken light or something, but that triggered your claustrophobia again.
You stop your steps and hug Kageyama's arm harder, starting to shake and feeling your knees go weak. Your throat starts to close in as you try to gasp for air. Everything was closing in again. Just like when you first woke up after surgery. Just like when you were in your aunt's arms.
You try to fight this feeling but the gravity of it just pushes you into yourself. It feels like all is gone but this darkness closing in, choking you out.
That's when you hear a voice pull you out.
"Hey. Hey, it's okay. I'm here. Take some deep breaths. Stand up straight. It's okay. It'll be ok."
But these were your mom's words, coming from a different voice?
Kageyama's voice?
*Kageyama's POV*
Hearing (y/n) gasp for air and feeling her shake got me worried. I turn to be directly in front of her and fall to one knee, holding both of her hands.
"Hey. Hey it's okay. I'm here. Takes some deep breathes. Stand up straight. It's okay. It'll be ok."
...
After (y/n) fell asleep last night, Mags called her parents, updating them about the situation. Apparently, they wanted to talk to me too, since I was the only person (y/n) considered to be her friend.
They wanted to learn a bit about me, which made me a bit uncomfortable and awkward but I got through it. (Y/n)'s mom also taught me and Mags some of her coping techniques for when (y/n) breaks down from her claustrophobia.
...
After a few minutes of taking deep breaths together and reassuring her that she'll be okay, she calms down, which relieved me.
I hated seeing her like that, being the third time already. I always picture her as a person that doesn't need anyone. Someone who was always there to help others. Someone strong enough that nothing could break her down.
Most of this is correct, but seeing this side of her really got me thinking. Of course she had a weak spot, who doesn't? But the thing I didn't know was that without others, she might not escape that dark, scary place she found herself moments ago.
But one thing definitely scared me.
What if there was no one around?
Would she call out for help?
*Y/n's POV*
Once you have calmed down again, you take a moment of silence, letting the situation set in.
You let go of Kageyama's hands and shakily hold his face, lifting him up to his feet so he is eye level with your covered eyes as you plaster a small smile on your face.
You feel him place his hands on yours, which makes you slightly blush. You soften your smile and suddenly pull him in.
You place your lips at the corner of his. 'darn. I missed.' you think, as you pull away quickly and give him a blank expression as your cheeks start to heat up again.
You feel Kageyama's hands come off of yours as you're still holding his face. You frantically drop your hands and look away to hide your blush as you feel two hands grab your face, turning it back to face forward.
You are then pulled into a kiss, which your lips don't miss this time.
(A/n: hey y'all. Hope you liked. It's kinda weird writing about claustrophobic panic attacks, but I've based it on my pass experiences. (yes, I am slightly claustrophobic). Sorry for extending the hospital stay so long, I just felt it was necessary for some character development, on both sides. I will continue on with the main plot and write primarily in (y/n)'s POV. I just didn't know how to describe what was happening without (y/n) seeing any of it, lol. Welp, see you in the next chapter :)
Word Count ~ 1871